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User blog:SPARTAN 119/Stormtroopers VS Arditi
The Sturmtruppen or Stormtroopers, the elite German assault infantry of the First World War VS The Italian close assault unit who charged charged the Austro-Hungarian trenches with hand grenades and their trademark daggers WHO IS DEADLIEST!? =Sturmtruppen= Tiring of the bloody stalemates during World War I, the German military decided on a new, radically different approach to trench combat. Instead of a mass assault, specially trained Stormtroopers in small bands would move in supported by artillery, striking hard and fast with weapons designed for maximum killing capacity in the shortest possible time. The Stormtroopers worked well at first, achieving victories at the Vosges Mountains and Verdun. Inspired by the Germans success, the Russians and British formed their own teams of Stormtroopers, but the Germans kept the lead thanks to the brilliant tactics of General Oskar von Hutier. However, after an initial stream of success, the Allies caught on to the Stormtrooper formula, rendering the original tactics useless. =Arditi= Arditi was the name adopted by Italian Army elite storm troops of World War I. The name derives from the Italian verb Ardire ("to dare") and translates as "The Daring Ones". Reparti d'assalto (Assault Units) were formed in the summer of 1917 by Colonel Bassi, and were assigned the tactical role of shock troops, breaching enemy defenses in order to prepare the way for a broad infantry advance. The Arditi were not units within infantry divisions, but were considered a separate combat arm. The Reparti d'assalto were successful in bringing in a degree of movement to what had previously been a war of entrenched positions. Their exploits on the battlefield were exemplary and they gained an illustrious place in Italian military history. They were demobilized by 1920. The name Arditi was also used by the supporters (often war veterans) of Gabriele D'Annunzio, during his occupation of Fiume in 1919-20. Their use of a uniform with black shirts and black fez was taken up by Benito Mussolini's paramilitary forces, called, in fact, Blackshirts. From 1 October 1975 the flag of X Arditi Regiment (formed in 1942 in imitation of the IX Assault unit of the First World War) was adopted by the 9º Reggimento d'Assalto Paracadutisti Col Moschin (9th Parachute Assault Regiment Col Moschin). To this day operatives of Col Moschin and CONSUBIN Italian special forces are known as "Arditi Incursori" and are viewed as the heirs of the Arditi of World War I. Col Moschin is actually the name of a hill where the Arditi obtained a hard fought victory against Austrian troops during World War I. The name is sometimes misapplied as a general term for Italian special units such as Bersaglieri. (From Wikipedia) =Weapons= Melee German Trench Knife (Sturm) The Nahkampfmesser was the standard issue German fighting knife of the First World War. The weapon had a blade of about six inches, typically with a single edge, with a false edge at the point, though some designs did have double edges. The weapon was a general purposes knife suited for both slashing and thrusting attacks, as well as use as a tool. Arditi Dagger (Arditi) The Arditi were armed with a double-edged dagger for close quarter combat in the trenches. The exact design varied, but some were made from cut-down rifle bayonets, while other were purposes built. Some even used folding knives with a stiletto-style blade. Regardless of the details of the design, the Arditi were highly trained in using the weapon in close combat. In fact, many Arditi carried only hand grenades and their dagger into battle, rifles proving too cumbersome in the trenches. 119’s Edge Both weapons can be deadly in the right hands. ‘’’Even’’’ Pistols Luger P08 (Sturm) The Pistole Parabellum 1908 or Parabellum-Pistole (Pistol Parabellum) — popularly known as the Luger — is a toggle-locked recoil-operated semi-automatic pistol. The design was patented by Georg J. Luger in 1898 and produced by German arms manufacturer Deutsche Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken (DWM) starting in 1900; it was an evolution of the 1893 Hugo Borchardt designed C-93. The first Parabellum pistol was adopted by the Swiss army in May 1900. In German army service it was succeeded and partly replaced by the Walther P38 in caliber 9x19mm, seeing use in both World Wars. The Luger fired a 9mm Parabellum round from a eight round magazine, with an effective range of up to 50 meters. Beretta M1915 (Arditi) The Beretta M1915 is a semi-automatic pistol adopted by the Italian Army in 1915 in response to increased demand from pistols during the First World War. The weapon was simple blowback operated weapon designed to be cheaper to produce and be sturdier than the older M1910 Glisenti. The weapon fired the same 9mm Glisenti round from eight-round magazine. The pistol had an effective range of 50 meters. 119’s Edge The ‘’’Stormtrooper’s’’’ Luger P08 for its slightly more powerful round. Rifles Karabiner 98a (Sturm) The Karabiner 98a is a carbine variant of the German Mauser Gewehr 98 rifle. Not to be confused with the WWII-era Kar. 98k, the Kar. 98a was an actual carbine (rather than rifle named to skirt treaty regulations) designed for use with cavalry, and later mountain and trench assault troops. The weapon was favored for trench assaults as it’s shorter barrel made it more effective in close combat. The Mauser rifle had an effective range of 500 meters with iron sights, however, the Kar. 98a’s shorter barrel would likely reduce effective range to perhaps 300-400 meters. The Kar. 98a use the same 7.92mm round fed in a five-round stripper clip as the full-sized Gewehr 98. Carcano M.91 Carbine(Arditi) The Moschetto per Truppe Speciali or special troops’ carbine M.91 was a carbine variant of the Italian Carcano M.91 rifle designed for use by machine gunners, mortar crews, and vehicle crews. Like many carbines of the First World War, it found its way into the trenches, where it was favored for its shorter barrel, making it handier at close range. The weapon fired a 6.5mm Carcano round fed from a five-round en bloc clip, and probably had an effective range of 300-400 meters based on the shorter barrel. 119’s Edge The German’s ‘’’Kar 98a’’’ for its more powerful 7.92mm round, giving it greater stopping power. SMGs MP-18 (Sturm) The MP-18 is possibly the first practical submachine gun used in combat, first seeing service in 1918 in the hands of German Stormtroopers. The weapon proved effective in the close combat of the trenches during the Kaiserschlact, a major German offensive in 1918 in which they managed to break through the British lines. The weapon used a 32-round snail drum magazine also compatible with the Luger P08 pistol, firing the same 9mm Parabellum rounds as the Luger. The weapon had a rate of fire of about 500 rounds per minute and an effective range of about 100 meters. Beretta M1918 (Arditi) The Beretta M1918 was an Italian submachine gun first issued at about the same time as the German MP-18. The weapon was, like the MP-18 designed for close combat in trench raiding operations. The weapon was fed with a top-feeding 25-round magazine firing 9mm Glisenti rounds at a rate of fire of 900 RPM. The weapon had an effective range of about 100 meters. 119’s Edge While the Beretta has a higher rate of fire, that will only deplete the low-capacity magazine faster. The MP-18 has a larger magazine, and the lower rate of fire will also make it easier to control. ‘’’Edge: MP-18’’’ Special Weapons Wechsellapparat (Stormtroopers) The Wechsellapparat, or “Wex” was an early flamethrower design employed by the Germans in the First World War. The weapon consisted of a round, "donut-shaped" fuel tank with a propellant canister in the middle. The weapon could be carried by one man, wearing the fuel tank on his back, and could project a stream of burning fuel up to about 20 meters, proving terrifyingly lethal in close-range trench assaults, however, it required the user to wear a tank of highly flammable fuel, which could ignite and explode if hit. Villar Perosa M15 (Arditi) The Villar Perosa was an unusual Italian automatic weapon of the First World War. The weapon was similar in size a to a light machine gun, but firing pistol-caliber 9mm Glisenti rounds, similar to a submachine gun. The weapon was originally intended for aircraft use, but when it proved unsuccessful in that role, it was transferred to the infantry and saw service as a light support weapon. The gun had an unusual two barrel design, with each barrel fed by a different magazine. The barrels fire simultaneously, so while the two magazines totaled 50 rounds, it in effect still had 25 shots. The weapon had a very high rate of fire of between 1500 and 3000 rounds per minute. While theoretically capable of firing 1800 meters, the small caliber cartridge and very rapid fire means it would likely not be effective beyond 200 meters or so. 119's Edge The Arditi's Villar Perosa for its longer range. The flamethrower is a terrifying weapon, but the Villar Perosa had a longer range- not to mention a high rate of fire that could have a psychological impact in its own right. Grenades Model 24 Stielgranate (Stormtrooper) The Model 24 grenade was the standard hand grenade of the German Army from 1915-1945, from the end of World War I to the end of World War II. The grenade was activating by unscrewing a cap and pulling a cord, which lit the fuse. It was not a fragmentation grenade because it relied on the blast to kill, giving it a much smaller lethal radius. Because of its design, the stick could act as a lever which greatly improved throwing distance, up to 40 yards, where as the British grenades of the time could only be thrown up to 15 yards. Thevenot Stick (Arditi) The Thevenot was an Italian hand grenade used in the First World War with both stick-mounted and more conventional variants. The stick-mounted variant was designed to be thrown further, and, in addition to the stick, also has a characteristic cloth streamer, sometimes referred to as the “skirt” for stabilization, earning the weapon the nickname “ballerina”. The stick Thevenot could probably be thrown a similar distance to the German Stielgranate. Thevenot variants were often used by the Arditi, thrown in to trenches, often from only a few meters away, which they were attack immediately after the grenades detonated. The Thevenot had a small blast radius of only a few meters, making it suitable for close assaults. 119's Edge The weapons are similar enough to be called Even. =X-Factors= Table Explanations Both units employed similar assault tactics, attacking after a short artillery barrage to disorient the enemy. In terms of training, both were the elite of their countries' armies, however, I give a slight edge to the Arditi simply due to their extreme training regimen in hand-to-hand combat and trench assault, which often led to casualties even in training. In terms of equipment, the Germans had slightly better weapons, including more powerful rifles and SMGs with a larger magazine, and I give them a slightly higher edge in combat experience simply because of their greater success against a stronger enemy- managed to make significant breakthroughs during the Kaiserschlact offensive, threatening Amiens and the Channel ports. While the Arditi played a role in the Vittorio Venato offensive, they were fighting against the less-well supplied and equipped Austro-Hungarian army. =Battle= Stormtroopers: 10 Arditi: 10 A town in the French countryside, Spring 1919, Alternate universe where WWI continued into 1919 Ten Arditi, part of an Italian unit sent to the Western Front to support their French, British, and American allies, walked through the streets of a town in the French countryside behind German lines. The Arditi had broken through the German lines, but had been separated with the rest of their unit in the chaos of the attack. As they turned the corner into the main square of town, the Arditi spotted a squad of German Stormtroopers, sent to reinforce the front, enter the square from the other side. One of the Arditi points his Carcano carbine at the group of Germans and fires a single shot, catching the Feldwebel leading the squad in the chest. The Stormtroopers return fire, carbines and MP-18 submachine guns blazing. An Arditi is cut down by the hail of fire. One of the Arditi, armed with a Villar Perosa, fire of a swarm of bullets, killing two of the Stormtroopers who did not get to cover in time and pinned down the rest of them inside a cafe across the square, as the rest of his squad took cover in storefront on their side of the square. Unfortunately for the Arditi machine gunner, he is hit by a German rifle shot before he can take cover. Arditi: 8 Stormtroopers: 7 The Arditi regrouped, taking cover in the building. Once the squad had regrouped, they spread raised their weapons and unleashed a storm of suppressing fire. Then, they charged with shouts of "Avanti!" and "O la vittoria, o tutti accoppati". One of the Arditi, who had taken the Villar Perosa from the fallen gunner, fired the weapon from the hip, suppressing the Germans in the building. As the Arditi reached about ten meters from the building, they threw several hand grenades into the building. The Thevenot grenades had a small blast radius, and thus only killed one German, who was unlucky enough to be standing right in front of the grenade. The blast blew his foot clean off, severing several major arteries and causing him to bleed out in seconds. The other Germans in the building, however, were stunned by the sudden blast. One surprised stormtrooper was cut down by burst from Beretta M1918 submachine gun, as an Arditi burst in through the shattered window and plunged his dagger into the chest of a second German several times. The unfortunate victim of the blade fell face down on the floor as he coughed up blood. The other four Germans taking cover in the building retreated out the back door, however, as the last one exited, he turned the corner and placed a tube around the corner of the building, back towards the Arditi. From the tube shot a jet of flames- the German that had stopped to fire was as flamethrower operator attached to the stormtrooper unit. The flames engulfed the interior of the abandoned cafe that the Arditi had just entered. Four of the Arditi were ignited, writhing in agony as they succumbed to the flames and smoke. Arditi: 4 Stormtroopers: 4 The last four Arditi, who were outside the now-burning building, and flanked around it in the alleyway. Two of them turned the corner of an alley and caught the flamethrower operator by surprise. The man was struck several times by a spray of bullets from a Beretta M1918 and an M1915 pistol. One of the rounds struck the fuel tank, causing it to explode in a ball of flames. "Got the cazzo", one of the Italians yelled in triumph, having avenged his fallen comrades. The Arditi then continued their assault, into a house which the remaining three Germans were hiding. As they attempt to climb that stairs to the upper floor, a stick grenade drops down the stairs. Three of the Arditi manage to get out of the blast radius, but one is not so lucky, and is killed in the explosion. Immediately afterwards, however, German peeks out and tried to fire his Luger, only to be hit with a burst from an M1918, killing him instantly. The lead Arditi then charges up the stairs, only to be caught by surprise and hit by a burst from an MP-18 on the landing and cut down. The German with the MP-18 turns the weapon on the next Arditi, but the gun jams. The Arditi uses this opening to jam the bayonet attached to his M1918- something the MP-18 did not have, into the Stormtrooper's chest, before with drawing the blade from the dying German. As he did so, the final Stormtrooper lunged at the Arditi with a combat knife, which the Arditi only barely blocked. An extended knife fight, however, was prevented when the second Arditi fired his carbine, scoring a well-aimed headshot that took down the final German. The Arditi looked around and realized they were the last ones left. They turned back towards the last known position of the Allied forces, hoping they could link back up with their comrades. WINNER: Arditi Expert's Opinion The Arditi won this clash of the WWI assault troops because of their slightly better tactics, but mostly because of their superior weaponry. The experts noted that, while the MP-18 had a larger magazine, the M1918 was less prone to jamming, giving the Arditi a clear advantage in one of the most important weapons in the fight, the submachine gun. Category:Blog posts